1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general, relates to the measurement of the length of an object and, more particularly, to devices that are used in combination with a tape measure.
In the various building construction arts the use of a tape measure is ubiquitous. Whether laying out forms for a foundation footing, preparing to pour a concrete slab, or erecting the walls, floors, ceiling, attic, and roof of a home or other type of building, various sizes of dimension lumber are commonly utilized depending on the specific task at hand. Each piece of dimension lumber is commonly referred to as a board and certain (specific) types of boards may also be referred to as “studs”.
The dimension lumber boards are provided in a number of standard sizes where each standard size is cut during its manufacture to provide a known thickness and width. The dimension lumber boards are typically cut to a larger “rough” size of width and thickness. The board's four exterior surfaces are planed along the longitudinal length of the board. The board is then cut to a desired length to produce a finished dimensional lumber board. The various sizes of dimension lumber are commonly identified by the thickness and width dimensions of the “rough” board in combination with the overall finished length of the board.
For example, an especially common “size” of dimensional lumber that comes in various overall lengths is typically referred to as a “two by four” board or stud. This identification by size refers to a rough unfinished dimension of two inches in thickness and a rough unfinished dimension of four inches in width. As mentioned above for all dimension lumber, the two by four is planed to provide a smoother surface at a lesser thickness and width dimension.
Accordingly, the finished width and thickness of the finished two by four board (or stud) is reduced to approximately one and one-half inches in thickness and to approximately three and one-half inches in width. Most standard sizes of dimension lumber adhere to the above rule of thumb in that the finished size is usually approximately one-half of an inch less in both thickness and width than the “size” of the dimension lumber designates. While slight variations in the finished size occur between the various lumber mills the above estimates are typical and the instant invention, as described hereinafter, can be adapted to work with any finished size of dimension lumber.
Therefore, a “two by six” dimension lumber board typically includes a thickness of one and one-half inches and a width of five and one-half inches. Other common sizes of dimensional lumber that have a rough or unfinished thickness of two inches include two by two, two by three, two by eight, two by ten, and two by sixteen (inch) boards that are available in a variety of overall lengths. The finished width and thickness of these sizes of dimension lumber will also similarly be approximately one-half of an inch less than the stated or rough dimensional size.
Dimension lumber is also available in a rough thickness greater than two inches. For example, dimension lumber is also generally available with a rough thickness dimension of four, six, eight, and even twelve inches and in various width sizes. Dimension lumber that includes the same thickness and width are also commonly available. Examples of a few common (rough) sizes include four inches by four inches, six inches by six inches, eight inches by eight inches and, as mentioned above, two inches by two inches.
Each standard size of dimension lumber is usually provided in a variety of overall lengths. For example, eight, ten, twelve, sixteen, and twenty foot overall lengths are common for many dimension lumber sizes, as are shorter overall lengths also common for framing (i.e., the building of) interior walls and partitions.
Typically, the standard dimension lumber size (thickness and width) of the board is selected based to a large degree on the expected maximum working load that the dimension lumber will be required to support.
As used herein, dimension lumber refers to any type of building material or board that includes a predetermined (i.e., a standard or typical) thickness and is intended to include both wood-based types of lumber as well as synthetic types of lumber (i.e., non-wood types of lumber or lumber that is not formed entirely from wood). The dimensions of the tape measure end-securing device are modified to permit its use with any type of dimension lumber ranging in thickness from a fraction of an inch thick to any desired thickness (typically up to several or more inches thick).
Often, a desired overall length for a board (or group of boards) is other than the overall length choices that are available for most dimension lumber sizes. Therefore, the board (or boards) must be cut to size, meaning they must be cut to the desired overall length. During construction, care must be taken to ensure that each dimension lumber board is of the proper overall length before it is attached at the desired location of the structure.
If the board is longer than what is required it must be cut to the desired overall length. After the proper size (thickness and width) of each board (or identical group of boards) has been determined its desired overall length must also be determined. Then, all dimensions of the board will be known and it can be readied for its attachment to the structure. The desired overall length is obtained either by obtaining a measurement of the desired overall length directly off of (i.e., from) the partially completed structure that is being built or the overall length is provided in an engineering plan (i.e., specified in a drawing figure or shown in a list of materials).
Once the overall length of the dimension lumber is known each board (i.e., each piece) must be measured and marked to indicate the desired overall length. Usually, a tape measure is utilized for the measurement and a pencil mark is inscribed on each board to indicate its desired overall length. The excess material is then removed by cutting the board across its width at the location of the pencil mark. A skilled craftsman typically places the pencil mark at what is to become an edge after cutting. The craftsman then makes their saw cut across the width of the board so that an inside edge of the blade abuts the pencil mark. For less critical overall lengths less precision in making the cut is required.
Sometimes, the craftsman will need to make a straight cut extending directly across the width of the dimension lumber or an angular cut will be required extending across the width and also along some portion of the board's longitudinal length. Whenever a cut is required measurement and marking of the board is necessary to ensure that after cutting the board will be of the proper overall length or include the desired angle or any other preferred shape.
A standard rule or saying in the building construction art is to “measure twice and cut once”. It is generally acknowledged that all sizes of dimension lumber are expensive. This saying aims to minimize errors and the waste of having to discard an improperly cut and ruined dimension lumber board. Clearly, a device capable of helping to provide accurate measurement of dimension lumber would be useful in reducing waste.
Most of the framing and general building construction is accomplished using standard two-inch rough thickness boards (actually one and one-half inches thick, when finished) that are selected from the available range of widths. As mentioned, they are then cut to any desired overall length, as needed.
As mentioned above, it is common practice to take a measurement beginning at a desired longitudinal end of the dimension lumber board and extending to a distal location along the longitudinal length of the board, where it is marked for cutting. It is also common practice to take a measurement from one edge or corner to another edge or corner. For example, a measurement taken from an inside corner of a concrete form to an opposite inside corner of the concrete form is compared with a second measurement that is taken across the two remaining and opposite inside corners to verify whether the form, as presently configured, is square. It is important that the foundation or slab is square before the concrete is poured.
When taking such measurements, it is difficult to maintain a free end of the tape measure consistently and repeatedly at an inside corner of a structure that is formed of dimension lumber.
Therefore, such measurements require two people to accomplish, with one person holding the exposed free end of the tape measure where desired at the inside corner while the other person walks over to the opposite corner and notes the distance to the opposite corner on the tape measure. This process is then repeated across the remaining corners and the two results are compared to ensure perpendicularity of the forms.
A first problem encountered is as previously mentioned, two people are required. The need for two people to take such types of measurements, and other lengthy measurements as well, increases the cost of construction.
Accordingly, there is a need to reduce the cost of building construction whenever possible.
A second problem is that the person who is holding the free end of the tape measure may not hold it in the same location relative to the inside corner for both measurements. This is because the exact location of the inside corner is, to some degree, based on the subjective opinion of the person as to where to hold the free end of the tape measure.
If while determining whether a structure is square (either a square or rectangular shape) two people cooperate to obtain a measurement taken across an opposite first pair of inside corners and the person who held the free end during that measurement does not hold the free end during measurement across an opposite remaining second pair of inside corners, the subjective aspect can cause a variation in measurements to occur when they are, in fact, the same or it can cause them to appear identical when, in fact, they are not equal.
Accordingly, there is a need for a fixed reference point for making inside corner to corner measurements as well as making measurements in general.
A third problem is that even if the person who is holding the free end of the tape measure is especially aware and diligent regarding their need to hold the free end in the same relative location for both measurements they may be unable to do so. This is because the other more distant person who is actually taking the measurement is holding the body of the tape measure and he (or she) may momentarily increase the force that is applied to the tape measure in order to eliminate slack or droop before taking the measurement.
This increased force may momentarily exceed the force that the person who is holding the free end of the tape is applying. This will cause the free end of the tape measure to pull away from the inside corner. The person holding the free end would then, in turn, automatically increase the resistive force they are offering in order to stop the free end from being urged even further away from the inside corner. He or she would then further increase the resistive force that is being applied to urge the free end of the tape measure back into the same relative inside corner location where it was previously being held.
However, the more distant person may have taken a measurement at anytime during this process including when the free end of the tape was disposed maximally away from the inside corner, thereby resulting in a false measurement reading. If the false reading falsely confirmed that the two corner-to-corner distances were equal, construction of a building that was not sufficiently perpendicular could result. If the false reading falsely confirmed that the two distances were unequal, additional and unnecessary work to correct the placement of the forms could result.
As the distances involved can vary considerably, ranging from a few feet to hundreds of feet distant from corner to corner, the force that needs to be applied to remove slack during measurement can vary considerably. This makes it even less likely that the person who is attempting to hold the free at the inside corner would be able to do so consistently.
Accordingly, a device and method for taking consistent inside (or outside) corner-to-corner diagonal measurements of the distances between rectangular areas as created by dimension lumber structures, or which can be effectively used by only one person, or which can provide an accurate reading over a reasonable range of variation to the force that is being applied to the body of a tape measure to remove slack or droop, is needed.
While it is desirable to measure from an inside (or outside) corner across to an opposite inside (or outside) corner thereby utilizing all four corners of the structure for measurement to determine how square it is, this is difficult to accomplish for the reasons mentioned above and especially so. as the corner-to-corner distances increase. Therefore, it is common practice during construction to measure along a first side of a rectangular corner (measuring from the outside of the corner) and place a mark along the first side at a multiple of 3 units of measurement (such as at 3 feet, 6 feet, or 9 feet, etc.) and to then measure and similarly place a mark along a remaining second side that includes a multiple of 4 units (such as 4 feet, 8 feet, 12 feet, etc.).
It is common knowledge in the building construction arts that a right-angle triangle that includes a first side which is a multiple of three units and a second side that is a corresponding next multiple of four units will also include a hypotenuse that is a corresponding next multiple of five units. Therefore, after marking the two right angle sides a measurement is then taken between the two marks along the hypotenuse to verify that the hypotenuse includes a dimension that is a corresponding multiple of five units which ensures that the corner is a right angle.
However, this method relies on extrapolation and, therefore, is not as accurate as measuring from corner-to-corner diagonally across the area and comparing the two measurements to confirm that they are equal. Also, the “three, four, five right triangle” measurement only verifies that the one corner that has been measured is reasonably close to perpendicular. Therefore, the process would require repeating at each of the four corners to ensure that all four corners are perpendicular.
Accordingly, the “three, four, five right triangle” measurement approach is less accurate and more time consuming than measuring diagonally from corner-to-corner. It is also accomplished in lieu of the more desirable corner-to-corner diagonal comparison because it may be possible for a single operator (person) to retain the free end of the tape measure at an outside corner when the mark along each side is to be placed only a short distance from the corner, such as from about three up to about twelve feet, whereas it would become considerably more difficult for the single operator to maintain the free end of the tape measure at the outside corner as the distances involved increase considerably.
However, the greater the distances that are used for even this type of measurement the greater will be the accuracy of the result. If the free end of the tape measure could be secured proximate an outside corner sufficient to allow any desired length of measurement by a single operator, an increase in accuracy of measurement when using the “three, four, five right triangle” method of determining perpendicularity would also be provided.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device that secures the free end of a tape measure proximate an outside corner and which allows a single operator to accurately measure and place a mark at a desired location along each of the sides of a right-angle corner where desired.
Similarly, there is a need for a device that can consistently secure the free end of a tape measure proximate one of the marks that was been made along a first of the sides, extend the tape measure to another of the marks on the remaining side, and accurately observe the distance between the two marks which is the hypotenuse.
Similarly, there are numerous other situations where it is desirable to secure the free end of the tape measure at a desired location in order to take a particular measurement. For example, it is desirable to measure from the center of the thickness of a first dimensional lumber piece to the center of the thickness of a second dimensional lumber piece that is parallel with the first piece and disposed away from the first piece. The spacing of dimensional lumber when framing walls, floors, ceilings, or roofs commonly include a standard spacing of either sixteen or twenty-four inches, however, other spacing dimensions are also possible. Therefore, there is a need for a device to secure the free end of a tape measure proximate a center of the thickness of dimensional lumber.
Similarly, there is a need for the taking of measurements of parallel spaced-apart dimensional lumber measuring from an outside edge of a first board to an outside edge of a second board, or when measuring from an outside edge of a first board to an inside edge of the second board or when measuring from an outside edge of a first board to a center location of the second board. There is also a need for taking measurements from the inside edge of the first board to either an inside, outside, or center location of the second board.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device that can secure the free end of a tape measure at an inside or outside edge when taking these and other types of dimension lumber measurements. Similarly, there is a need to secure the free end of a tape measure when taking measurements along a vertical dimension.
Also, prior art tape measuring devices are secured to dimension lumber by the use of a nail. The nail mars the wood. It also takes time to install and remove such a device. Therefore, it is not convenient to take measurements from numerous different starting points.
Accordingly, there is a need for a tape measure end-securing device that does not require the use of a nail to fasten it to the lumber when used with dimension lumber and which is readily moveable from one location to another.
There is a need for a tape measure end-securing device that automatically secures itself to dimension lumber sufficient to accomplish most measurements.
There is a need for a tape measure end-securing device that can be secured to dimension lumber without the use of a nail and which can secure the device in an inverted position.
Accordingly, there exists today a need for a tape measure end-securing device that helps to ameliorate the above-mentioned problems and difficulties as well as ameliorate those additional problems and difficulties as may be recited in the “OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION” or discussed elsewhere in the specification or which may otherwise exist or occur and that are not specifically mentioned herein.
As various embodiments of the instant invention help provide a more elegant solution to the various problems and difficulties as mentioned herein, or which may otherwise exist or occur and are not specifically mentioned herein, and by a showing that a similar benefit is not available by mere reliance upon the teachings of relevant prior art, the instant invention attests to its novelty. Therefore, by helping to provide a more elegant solution to various needs, some of which may belong-standing in nature, the instant invention further attests that the elements thereof, in combination as claimed, cannot be obvious in light of the teachings of the prior art to a person of ordinary creativity.
Clearly, such an apparatus would be useful and desirable.
2. Description of Prior Art
Tape measure attachment devices are, in general, known. For example, the following patent documents describe various types of these devices, some of which may have some degree of relevance to the invention. Other patent documents listed below may not have any significant relevance to the invention. The inclusion of these patent documents is not an admission that their teachings anticipate any aspect of the invention. Rather, their inclusion is intended to present a broad and diversified understanding regarding the current state of the art appertaining to either the field of the invention or possibly to other related or even distal fields of invention.    U.S. Pat. No. 7,487,600 to Cooper, that issued on Feb. 10, 2009;    U.S. Pat. No. 7,024,792 to Graham, that issued on Apr. 11, 2006;    U.S. Pat. No. 6,839,981 to Rafter, that issued on Jan. 11, 2005;    U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,153 to Brunson, that issued on Dec. 16, 2003;    U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,358 to LeBon et al., that issued on Aug. 6, 2002;    U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,739 to Kraft, that issued on Oct. 2, 2001;    U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,926 to Fraser et al., that issued on Aug. 29, 2000;    U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,813 to Templeton, that issued on Jan. 9, 1996;    U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,100 to Leore, that issued on Jun. 6, 1995;    U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,486 to Waldherr, that issued on Dec. 22, 1992;    U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,734 to Woodard et al., that issued on Sep. 12, 1989;    U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,167 to Martin, that issued on Oct. 12, 1982;    U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,471 to Lynde, that issued on May 16, 1972;    U.S. Pat. No. 3,145,477 to Morrison, that issued on Aug. 25, 1964;    U.S. Pat. No. 2,853,785 to Raifsnider, that issued on Sep. 30, 1958;    U.S. Pat. No. 756,633 to Herrick, that issued on Apr. 5, 1904;
and including U.S. Design Patents:    U.S. Design Pat. No. D432,035 to Harris, that issued on Oct. 17, 2000; and    U.S. Design Pat. No. D249,128 to Stookey, that issued on Aug. 29, 1978.
While the structural arrangements of the above described devices may, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.